Using DOTS Materials for the Professional Development of English Teachers in Turkey: Teachers’ Views

Abstract

Teaching and learning in the 21st century demands a new skillset and mindset (Johnson, 2012, p. 113). In this rapidly changing age, increased opportunities created by information and computer technologies (ICT) have resulted in a positive change in the range of activities, approaches and applications in language learning and teaching. In simple terms, this innovation has brought a shift from traditional textbooks to innovative forms of multimodal use of technological tools in classrooms, which has also brought a change in the curriculum and the ecology of language teaching and learning (Blyth, 2009). Fully online and distance courses have been attracting ever more people into higher education; and in 2009 the growth of online higher education degree programmes in the world was reported to be much higher than that of traditional programmes (Allen & Seaman, 2010). According to OSYM (Student Selection and Placement Centre for Higher Education in Turkey, 2013), most Turkish universities now offer online higher education programmes. With these facts in mind and to help teachers of English in Turkey adapt to the new circumstances and gain new ICT-related skills, we became part of the Developing Online Teaching Skills (DOTS) project (see Chapter 10 in this volume and Stickler, 2011 for an overview) and translated the DOTS materials into Turkish.